Healthy Eating Buzzwords and What You Actually Need to Know

There are so many buzzwords when it comes to healthy eating - clean, organic, non-GMO, etc.- but how do you know what these terms actually mean and if it’s something you should even pay attention to? Today we’re going to dive into what you need to know to make an informed decision for your family. 

LISTEN HERE: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | GOOGLE

Have you ever found yourself wandering around the grocery store, trying to make healthy choices for your family, only to be confused by all of the labels placed all over the boxes or hanging over the aisle? Well, you aren’t alone. Food makers have started adding tons of different labels to their products - some of them are important and some are just marketing to fit into the latest health trend. So, how do you know which is which? Unfortunately, it’s not as straightforward as any of us wish that it was, but I’m hoping that what I share here with you today will help clear it up a bit. 

3 of the most confusing food labels:   

GMO - it means that this crop has been genetically altered to make it more resistant to environmental factors or pests. Concerns about GMOs are that they can add to overall body toxicity, allergies and sensitivities, and could possibly contribute to cancer risk.                                                                                                                                                   

A lot of packaged foods and ingredients are common GMO crops such as sugar, corn, soybean, canola, and cottonseed oils as well as ingredients commonly used in animal feed (so what your meat is eating). 

Organic - this term has a lot more complexities in what it can mean. There are many different artificial ingredients used in food production that come with concern especially for things like allergies and sensitivities, contributing to cancer risks and DNA damage, as well as an overall negative effect on gut health and detox pathways.

When referring to produce it means that only allowed synthetic chemicals or preservatives have been used (about 25 different ones allowed vs 900 allowed in conventional produce) and that any chemical used went through testing that proved that it wasn’t harmful to human health or the health of the environment, as well as that the farming practices used passed the organic standards set by the USDA. 

When referring to packaged foods it means that the products contain none of the following: artificial dyes, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, artificial preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, partially or hydrogenated oils, BHT/BHA (hormone), GMOs (specifically important with corn, sugar, soy, canola, and cotton), glyphosate sprayed crops, added hormones, antibiotics, glyphosate by-products or GMOs used for animal feed. It also means that if any herbicide/pesticide was used they followed organic standards and rules. 

Natural Flavors - this one is super confusing and seems to be in everything. It could consist of approximately 2500 different ingredients. The FDA has some standards that say it must be derived from an animal or plant, however, that’s a very broad category. It also means that GMOs or chemically treated ingredients can be included as “natural”. 

Other common labels to watch out for: 

Natural - this term is completely unregulated and therefore could mean anything or nothing. 

Zero / Low calorie or Zero / Low sugar - look at that label. In order to make something zero-calorie, it has most likely been stripped of any actual food or nutrients and is full of artificial ingredients instead. This also applies to low / no sugar labels. If they aren’t using sugar, what are they using to sweeten it? Most likely something artificial. 

High in protein - this is a completely subjective term so it could mean anything. It likely refers to a ratio of carbs to protein and means that it’s not super high in carbs compared to protein. A lot of people have different protein intake goals based on health goals, but generally for adults, specifically for women, I recommend shooting for 20-30g of protein per meal - so think about all of the components of that meal and what the total protein would be. That should get you in a generally good place for your overall daily protein intake.

Here are a few of my top tips for navigating these confusing terms:

1. Pay attention to the ingredient list, not just the nutrition facts. A lot of times we think we are making healthy decisions if the item has good protein or low sugar, but that isn’t always true. Do you recognize most of the ingredients as real food? Are there 30 ingredients? Are the first few ingredients one of those common GMO crops? If so, look for a better alternative. 

2. Stick to buying organic produce for the dirty dozen and don’t worry about the other produce items. This frees up money in your grocery budget for buying the organic versions of other foods like meat/dairy as well as those packaged foods that contain the commonly modified crops that we talked about earlier - sugar, corn, soy, canola, and cottonseed oils, as well as any product containing wheat as it is not a GMO crop but it is one of the crops most commonly sprayed with glyphosate. 

3. If you’re buying a product that includes “natural flavors” which most do, make sure it also has an organic label so that you can at least know that a lot of the artificial things that we want to avoid like GMOs, dyes, preservatives, etc. can’t be it. 

There are so many more things that I could share about food labeling with you but I wanted to really focus on the most common ones today. If you’re wanting to hear more about healthy eating and how to make healthy - yet realistic - food choices, check out Episode 70 to learn how I do meal planning or Episode 90 for tips on making healthy eating choices at parties and in social settings. 

I hope that this has helped make food labels a little less confusing and you walk away from this episode feeling more educated and empowered to make food choices for your family. 

If you’re looking for more ideas for healthy meals, I have a few resources that I think you will love. You can download my Healing Foods Guide as well as my recipe ebook “Easy, Healthy Eats” by clicking here.

You May Also Like…

What to Focus on to Improve Your Health in the New Year

Hi, friends, and Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and made some great memories. We had a sweet Christmas this year and really soaked up our last Christmas together as a family of three. We have a lot of new and exciting things coming up this new year, so I loved a little quiet downtime before all of that. Now, we’re switching gears and getting into that time of year when people are a little more focused on their health and often setting some new goals for themselves, so today, I want to share what I believe to be a few of the most effective ways to really improve your health in the new year. 

LISTEN HERE: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | GOOGLE

Have you already set your goals for 2023? Most of the time when people, especially women, set goals for themselves, they include some kind of health-related goal. Often it can be related to weight or something about their bodies that they’re wanting to change. I love goal setting and think that when done in a healthy way, it can be really helpful and effective, but one thing that I’ve noticed working with women on their health, is that they often don’t really know what to focus on or they find themselves focusing on something that’s kind of arbitrary and often just leaves them frustrated and burnt out after a few weeks. If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you know that I don’t love focusing on weight as a goal because weight is affected by so many things and a healthy weight doesn’t follow a perfect, easy formula, which leaves most women feeling frustrated. It’s also possible to lose a lot of weight and still be really unhealthy - not to mention how it can negatively affect body image and mental/emotional health. So, if focusing on weight isn’t a good idea, what should you focus on if you are really wanting to see improvements in your health? Well, I’m glad you asked because I have a few thoughts to share with you on that. :) 

Stabilize your blood sugar

The first area I believe should be prioritized is stabilizing your blood sugar. I talk about blood sugar a lot on this podcast and when working with my clients because it affects so many things in the body. Every cell in your body is dependent on glucose for energy and it fuels many functions of the body, but when it becomes dysregulated it can increase your risks for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, immune system dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, nerve damage, metabolism issues, decreased brain health, and so much more. It’s not something to ignore and can lead to serious health issues, yet many, many people walk around with very unstable blood sugar levels and don’t think much about it. You may not even know that you have dysregulated blood sugar but you may be more familiar with some of the common symptoms such as mid-day energy crashes, headaches, irritability, weight gain or difficulty losing weight, slow wound healing, skin issues, fatigue, dizziness, irregular menstrual cycles, fertility challenges, and more. 

Untreated blood sugar dysregulation can contribute to insulin resistance - a condition where the cells of the body become desensitized to insulin, leading the pancreas to produce more and more insulin in order for the cells to respond and be able to take in the needed glucose. This leads to high levels of both insulin and glucose in the body, which also leads to increased fat storage, blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. These dysfunctions within the body lead to an increased risk for heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, and just overall increased damage to the body. 

So you can see how this one area of your health that may seem like not a big deal can actually affect your health in really negative ways or when managed well can create a solid foundation for better overall health. 

I have a few other episodes about ways to improve blood sugar regulation, so I’m not going to go deep into that in this episode - go listen to episode 17 or check out my online course if you are looking for more info on how to do this. I also have a brand new resource that is a great tool for anyone, but especially anyone working on blood sugar regulation. You can download my new Healthy Eating Food Formula Guide for free on my website or in my Instagram bio. It gives you the exact formula to follow to create any meal or snack that will support blood sugar balance while also leaving you feeling full without energy crashes or cravings. My favorite thing about this new guide is that it gives you the tools to create healthy meals on your own, with the foods that you enjoy rather than giving you a strict regimen of foods to eat that leave you feeling dissatisfied and bored. Download the Healthy Eating Food Formula Guide here.

I could talk about blood sugar all day, but let’s move on! 

Improve your Gut Health 

The next area that I believe should be prioritized and will have one of the largest impacts on your overall health is prioritizing gut health. Is anyone surprised by this? Probably not! :)

You have heard me say this many times but you cannot have poor gut health and optimal overall health. It’s just not possible! The gut affects everything in the body - some areas are obvious like digestion and metabolism but a lot of areas that you may not think of, like mental health - depression, anxiety, mood imbalances; skin health - allergies, sensitivities, acne, eczema; immune health and autoimmunity; hormone health - hormonal conditions and imbalances, reproductive health and fertility; weight management and ability to regulate weight; even genetic patterns that can affect your kids and their kids. It’s unlikely to think of an area of health or function of the body that isn’t either directly or indirectly affected by gut health. 

So how do you know if your gut health needs attention or to be improved? Well if you’re breathing and haven’t already taken time to focus on improving your gut health, then this is most likely something that you can benefit from. Our “guts' ' run from our nose/mouth all the way through our digestive tract to the other end of us. It houses the majority of our microbiome - an ecosystem made up of trillions of microbes, including different viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other organisms. Studies have proven that there are more of these microbes in our bodies than human DNA cells - isn’t that insane? Just like in any other ecosystem, there needs to be a balance of the types of microbes within our microbiome. Some are more beneficial and some are more opportunistic and can lead to dysfunction within the system when there is an imbalance (also called Dysbiosis). Our current lifestyles of processed foods, excessive sugar, chronic stress, lack of sleep, lack of nutrients - especially B vitamins and vitamin D, and increased usage of meds like antibiotics, oral contraceptives, and antacid/PPI meds all have detrimental effects on that balance and often wipe out the good or beneficial microbes, allowing the pathogenic or opportunistic ones to thrive. Even some things completely out of our control like how we were birthed and fed as babies can trigger an imbalance in our microbiome. 

When this imbalance occurs, it can lead to all kinds of uncomfortable symptoms that you may be familiar with: gas, bloating, constipation/diarrhea, abdominal pain, unexplained weight gain/loss, mood imbalances, brain fog, skin issues like acne or eczema, chronic yeast infections, hormonal imbalances, infertility. When left untreated dysbiosis can eventually contribute to more serious conditions that I mentioned above. 

The concept of improving your gut health may feel overwhelming or daunting but it really isn’t. Following the functional medicine protocol allows you to calm and heal any inflammation of the gut while also supporting the rebalancing of the microbiome. Working with a professional trained in gut health who can lead you through the process will make it even more simple. 

The last area of health that I want to talk about today may feel like a super simple one but it’s one that makes such a huge difference and that is…

Move your body

Moving your body. I know - exercise is something that every health professional talks about and tons of fitness programs are built on, and yet it’s something that a lot of us just overlook. Even knowing all of the benefits of moving my body, it’s always been a struggle for me to be consistent in exercising, but it’s also been one of the biggest “needle movers” for me. Not just in a weight goal or something like that, but regularly moving your body is one of the most effective ways to improve both your blood sugar balance and your gut health! It’s part of the “S” triad (Sweat -or moving your body, sleep, and stress management) that is included in my course - Move Forward, Feel Better (more on that later). I chose to focus on the “Sweat” portion of that triad here because exercise is one of the ways to improve sleep and help the body deal with stress. 

Exercise has just so many benefits. As I already mentioned it helps improve gut health and support healthy blood sugar - which if you remember affects most systems and functions of the body - but let’s just highlight a few benefits like increased energy, increased happiness, improved mood, improved detoxification, improved digestion, and gut motility, increased cardiovascular endurance and overall strength which leads to fewer injuries, improved immune response, improved mental clarity and an overall better outlook on life. 

We all need to be prioritizing moving our bodies each day for at least 10-15 minutes and building up to a longer amount of time. The beautiful thing about exercise is that it can look so many different ways. You can totally customize it to your preferences and schedule. Just make sure to prioritize it and have some accountability for it. You can find a lot more ideas and information on exercise in episodes 15, 46, 53, and 87. I’ll link to those in the show notes. 

So there you have it - three areas that I believe have the biggest impact on your overall health. If you’re looking to actually improve your health in 2023 and take action that has positive effects on your health and makes a lasting difference, I encourage you to focus on these three areas. Most likely whatever area of your health that you are wanting to improve or change will be positively affected and improved.

As a resource to help you know how to focus on these areas that I’ve talked about today, I’m offering 30% off of my Move Forward, Feel Better Course that walks you step-by-step through the process of how to stabilize blood sugar, improve gut health, prioritize those lifestyle factors that I mentioned like sleep, stress, and movement, as well as module all about having a healthy mindset and setting optimal health goals for yourself that will actually lead you to success. It’s a 4-module course that you can do at your own pace that fits your schedule and includes downloadable worksheets to help you apply what you learn to your life and health. For the next two weeks only, you can purchase the course for 30% off making it only $55! That’s the price of one nice meal out or a new sweater at your favorite boutique. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn the tools you need to improve your health! 

Plan Your Plate! Healthy Eating Tips for Your Next Get-Together.

Hi friends! Fall is here and it brings so many things that I love, including lots of get-togethers for football parties, holiday parties - and for us our anniversary and our daughter’s birthday. It’s basically one big party all season, which is both wonderfully fun and totally exhausting lol. 

Fall also brings with it so many cozy flavors and a lot of concentration on delicious foods. This combo of tons of social events and get-togethers plus tons of pumpkin-spice-laden treats can leave us feeling a little stressed about making healthy eating choices. 

LISTEN HERE: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | GOOGLE

Fall!! It truly is my favorite season.  As an enneagram 9, it’s hard for me to choose a favorite in anything, but I love fall so much that it’s the obvious choice. 

I know so many other people who love all things fall too, but I also know that fall can bring with it some stress or maybe even worry about making healthy eating choices. Fall leads right into the holidays and for anyone who is trying to make health-conscious decisions or may be worried about their weight, there seems to be a little nagging voice in our heads that’s a little stressed out about all of the food. 

So today, I want to give you a few practical tips to quiet those nagging thoughts and help give you confidence in making healthy choices while still completely enjoying the season. 

Adjust your expectations 

We have to live in reality, friends. How often do we go to a party or some kind of holiday get-together thinking we just won’t eat anything or we’ll just pass on the dessert? First of all, that sounds miserable, doesn’t it? Secondly, it’s hardly realistic for most of us! The reality is that dessert, snacks, and whatever else that you are thinking of avoiding will be there, and you’re going to want to eat it, and that’s okay. So let’s just adjust our expectations, that avoidance isn’t really realistic in most cases and it’s probably not the best idea anyway. 

Decide what a “healthy choice” means for you. 

This doesn’t always look the same for everyone and it doesn’t look the same in every season. Spend a little time thinking about what foods work best for your body, what makes you feel bad, and what foods you love and can’t wait to enjoy. For some people, this may look like not eating certain foods, and for some this may mean eating healthy portions of everything! Don’t follow the crowd on this. Be intentional (but remember those realistic expectations). 

Quit with the guilt. 

 We need to be conscious of unhealthy patterns when it comes to eating - and I’m not at all talking about food. I’m talking about unhealthy patterns when it comes to our mindset. One of the most common ones is feeling guilty when we eat something that feels indulgent or something that may not be the most nutritious. I can’t tell you how many clients I’ve worked with who find themselves caught up in this pattern of eating something that they’ve deemed “bad” and then spend the night or next day feeling guilty about it and sometimes even punishing themselves or trying to “make up for it” with extra long workouts or by barely eating anything the next day. There are not any bad foods. Food is amoral. It is both physically and mentally unhealthy for us to assign morality to certain foods and immorality to others and it has led to some really deep rooted issues with food in our society. So when you catch yourself feeling guilty or saying something like “I’m going to have walk off this dinner” or “run an extra mile tomorrow because of this dessert” try to change that narrative to something like “I’m thankful that I get to enjoy this meal”. Also, one more thing on this - remember that while food is fuel for our bodies, there is also an emotional component to food that is connected with the pleasure centers in our brain - and that’s a gift. God didn’t have to give us taste buds or allow us to enjoy our food, but He did, so let’s not rob ourselves of that. 

Always Balance It Out (carb + protein + fat)  

Remember that one of the major factors supporting your health is blood sugar balance, so make that a priority over counting calories or another arbitrary focus. Some examples of how this may look at a party: choose hummus and guac with chips; add some chicken or a few meatballs to your plate along with all of those starchy carbs; when it’s time for dessert, add some high-quality half-and-half or higher protein nut milk to your coffee, or add a handful of nuts to your plate along with the brownies. This starts with making sure that you are familiar with some good protein and healthy fat options that you enjoy. Download my Foods that Heal List for some ideas - also a new resource for this coming soon!) 

Support Your Digestion

This is important all of the time, but especially so when we’re eating different foods or foods that are very rich and can cause some digestive upset. Try to eat your meals when you’re seated, calm, and can really enjoy your food. When we’re hyped up or upset, we often have a lot of adrenaline and stress hormones pumping through our bodies which makes digestion and nutrient absorption, so when possible eat at a more calm time in the get-together. Also, avoid grazing throughout the entire event. Our bodies digest best when we have at least 90 minutes in-between eating, so enjoy your meal and then give your gut a break. This will help to avoid or reduce unwanted symptoms like bloating. 

Bring an Alternative 

Bring something that you know you enjoy and will make you feel good. Ideally, something with protein or nutritious ingredients. One way to be sure there are foods there that you feel good about eating is to bring them yourself. This is especially important for those with food allergies or sensitivities. 

I hope these tips help you enjoy this season to the fullest while still making decisions that prioritize your health!

You May Also Like…

The Importance of Optimal Perinatal Nutrition with Julie Sawaya, Co-Founder of Needed

In today's episode, Julie Sawaya, co-founder of perinatal nutrition company - Needed, is sharing the importance of optimal nutritional support for all stages of a woman’s life, but especially before, during, and after pregnancy.

LISTEN HERE: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | GOOGLE

Questions answered in this episode…

Tell us about how you got into the vitamin and supplementation field and why you helped start Needed.

One of my favorite things about Needed is that so much research and input from clinicians went into formulating all of the products. Why is this so important? 

What subset of the population can really benefit from taking prenatal vitamins and supportive supplements? Is it only for those who are currently pregnant?

How can supplementing with optimal nutrients help support fertility and those trying to conceive or maybe struggling with conception?

Needed recently launched a men’s line of products. Tell us a little more about why that is important and so unique. 

Other than the research aspect, what are some things that set Needed apart from over-the-counter prenatal or prescription prenatal?

Where can people learn more about Needed? 

Needed is a nutrition company that I personally use and trust, as well as recommend to a lot of my clients. If you would like to try Needed for yourself, you can use code HEALTHFORWARD to save 20% on a one-time purchase or HEALTHFORWARD100 to save $100 on the first three months of the Complete Plan Bundle

You May Also Like…

Making Family Meals Less Stressful with Ashley Smith, MPH, RD, LD

In today's episode, Ashley Smith, RD from Veggies and Virtue, is sharing practical and encouraging tips to help take the stress out of family meals. She offers resources and strategies to empower both kids and parents to overcome the challenges of picky eating and mealtime drama.

LISTEN HERE: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | GOOGLE

Questions answered in this episode…

How did you decide to specialize in pediatric nutrition?

What are some of the most common challenges you see in working with families? 

What is the division of responsibility and how does that apply to feeding our kids?

It seems so common for meal times to be chaotic and a source of stress with young children, especially when they are of age to express their opinions. One of my absolute favorite things that I’ve learned from you over the past couple of years is your Love It, Like It, Learn It method for preparing a child’s plate. Can you share what that is and how it helps to alleviate a lot of this mealtime stress?

Another tip that I learned from you is how you set up your snack drawer/snack availability for your kids. Can you share more about that?

What are a few other helpful tips that you use to make mealtimes less stressful, especially with kids who really like to eat the same things all the time or maybe are hesitant to try new foods?

What advice would you give to the mom listening who is really concerned about their kid’s nutrient intake or how they are/aren’t eating?

You have a ton of resources on your website - both free downloads and a store - and you just recently just started a podcast as well. Tell us a little bit about that as well as what people can find on your site. 

Resources mentioned in this episode: Veggie and Virtue Combination Cards; The Veggies and Virtue Podcast

Find more from Ashley here.

You May Also Like…

Not Seeing Results with Your Health Goals? This Could Be Why!

Hi friends! It’s the end of February and a lot of us are feeling 1 of 2 ways with our new year’s health goals - either confident and excited to keep going or frustrated and ready to call it quits. In this episode, I’m sharing some of the most common reasons that we tend to hit a wall this time of year and stop seeing the results that we think we should be seeing in our health - whether that’s weight loss or another health factor we are wanting to improve. I think this is going to be super practical and helpful for you, so let’s get into it! 

LISTEN HERE: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | GOOGLE

While there are a lot of factors that can go into why we may feel that way, I have found that when people are feeling stuck or frustrated with a lack of results, there are usually some common culprits. So before you call it quits, evaluate how you’re doing in these 5 areas. 

Not enough quality sleep

Most of us don’t get enough sleep. We prioritize productivity over rest and we’re damaging our health. The recommendation is 7-9 hours of sleep and 2 hours of deep sleep (most of this happens before midnight). So really get intentional about your sleep - track it (Apple watch / Oura ring, Garmin smartwatch), set some hard boundaries, etc. (more ideas for optimizing sleep in episodes 29 and 69). 

Inadequate calorie/protein intake

Often when we think about weight loss or health goals, we think about eating less (which occasionally may be warranted) but I’ve found the opposite to be true more often than not. So many times when someone is experiencing difficulty losing weight or regulating blood sugar, healing their hormones, etc. - it’s because they aren’t eating enough. Not enough calories, or not often enough throughout the day, or even both! It’s also very common for women to not eat enough protein. 

I’m not a proponent of counting calories because I think we set ourselves up for an unhealthy obsession with our bodies and an unhealthy relationship with food by doing that; however, having said that sometimes it can be helpful to track for a couple of days (ONLY) just to gauge how much food we’re getting. Somewhere along the way, we’ve adopted this mindset that we should only be eating 1200 calories a day or something ridiculous, and for 99% of us, that is way under what our bodies need to actually function. Now, this is different for everyone, and I don’t want you to mishear what I’m saying and think that I’m saying that weight loss is the most important goal or that it’s as simple as kcals in/out because if you know me or have been around here for a while, you know that I don’t teach that at all. BUT I do believe that understanding the science behind how our bodies use food as energy is helpful. Your body needs a certain amount of calories to just basically function - you can find out this amount by using a BMR calculator. It will show you the number of kcals you need to just sit still and breathe. s the algorithm explains, this energy will be used only to maintain vital organs, which include the heart, lungs, kidneys, nervous system, intestines, liver, lungs, sex organs, muscles, and skin. For most people, upwards of 70% of the total energy burned each day is used for upkeep.

If you want energy to move or do anything at all you will need more and the calculator will base that on how active you are, if you’re pregnant, nursing, etc. Again, this isn’t as simple as this math equation, but it does provide a basic frame of understanding and supports the idea that major calorie restriction is not a good idea.

It’s also super common to not have enough intake of protein and have too high of an intake of either simple carbs or fats. A really simple rule of thumb here is to make sure that you’re not having any meal or snack that is just a carb (or just a protein, for that matter). The inclusion of all three macronutrients is important for stable blood sugar and metabolism. Somewhere around 25-30g protein per meal is a good goal and using the palm of your hand as a guide is a super easy, sustainable way to track this.

Too much or too little exercise

Another common issue I see often when someone isn’t seeing the progress that they want is an imbalance in their physical activity - either too much/too intense exercise or too little exercise. 

Regularly moving our bodies for somewhere between 15-45 minutes daily supports the function of our bodies in so many ways! It helps our bodies manage stress levels, helps promote deep sleep, aids in digestion and good gut motility, reduces chronic inflammation levels, increases oxygen, and therefore healing, to the body, helps with cognitive ability, supports stable hormones, and so much more. It’s a vital component of a healthy lifestyle! 

On the flip side, overtraining or doing too intense of a workout, or even too long of an intense workout can have some of the opposite effects leaving us feeling more exhausted and depleted; it can also raise inflammation levels, have a draining effect on our adrenal health and therefore hormone health, lead to digestive issues including bloating and constipation, add to insomnia, and when paired with a too restrictive way of eating, leave our bodies starving for energy. 

As with most things, there is a sweet spot for exercise, especially for women. 

Misaligned Mindset and Goals

I’ve talked about this a lot because this is one of the most common issues that I see and one that most of us simply overlook. I actually have a guest interview episode all about this that comes out in a couple of weeks, so I’m not going to go super deep into this, but I do want to give you a couple of things to think about. 

When we are setting goals from a place of negative feelings or feelings of shame about our bodies, we are likely keeping ourselves stuck right where we are. Those feelings may motivate you for a day or two, but most of the time they are going to lead you to feel like giving up or crashing on the couch instead of taking proactive steps to improve your health. 

However, if we can switch our mindset to setting goals tied to something we love or a dream we have for the future, we are much more likely to feel motivated to take those action steps. 

Behavior is driven by our mindset, not the other way around. 

There’s so much more to be said on this topic and as I said, I actually have an entire guest interview about this coming up in the next episode, so make sure you are subscribed and keep a lookout for that. 

I also have a youtube video dedicated to a healthy mindset and goal setting that you can watch. I’ll link that in the show notes so that you can get to it easily. It’s actually a clip from my Move Forward, Feel Better course and dives much more in-depth into how we can align our mindsets with the truth of who God made us to be. I truly believe that this is the missing piece for so many women who find themselves stuck in a cycle of dieting and frustration with their bodies. 

Have any of these common issues resonated with you? If so, I hope that you have found this episode helpful and it has given you some ideas to think through. The good news is that in each of these examples, we can easily make changes to address what’s going on. I encourage you to spend some time evaluating these areas of your lifestyle and brainstorming 2-3 very achievable steps that you can take to move forward. You’re doing a great job, friend! Just by taking the time to listen to this episode and give intentional thought to your health, you are moving forward, even if it doesn’t feel like it! 

My Simple Method for Meal Planning

Hi friends! In today’s episode, we are talking about meal planning. There are many different methods and ways to meal plan, so this is not necessarily a “how-to” or a list of things you “should” do, this is just me sharing how I do things in this current season of life that I am in. I’ve had other podcast episodes about meal planning - tips for meal planning, the importance of it, etc., and even since recording those episodes, things in my life have changed and I don’t do things exactly the way that I did then. That’s just normal and a part of life. Everyone has to learn how to shift how they do things based on the season that they’re in. So today I’m sharing what is currently working for me and I hope that it gives you new inspiration or ideas, as well as give you permission to meal plan in a way that best serves you. 

LISTEN HERE: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | STITCHER

A little something you may or may not know about me, depending on how long you’ve been around the podcast, is that I am an Enneagram 9w1. (If you don’t know what that is it’s a personality test that I often reference because I think it’s super helpful.) So, that basically means my mind is a complicated, sometimes contradictory place. So I love all things organizing, order, planning, ideas, and future, but I don’t always love executing said plans, and I’m not very good at motivating myself to carry out a plan that I’m not “feeling” in the moment. I also don’t like chaos or feeling stressed about what we’re having for dinner, regretting an impulse choice, etc. (like I said, it’s complicated). So, as you can imagine, meal planning is extremely important, for me. I have tried many times to go without some kind of meal plan in place for the week and it always turns out badly. I most often end up stressed, and really frustrated with myself for not just taking the time to have a plan in place, get groceries, and get ahead of things rather than feeling like I’m constantly playing catch-up or regretting my choices. You may have a totally different personality and be absolutely fine to just go with the flow and not really need a plan in place, but that is most certainly not me. Also, from my experience working with clients, it seems that most people do better with some kind of plan in place, especially if they’re trying to be intentional about what they are eating.

There isn’t one certain way that is “right” when it comes to planning meals for yourself or your family, and there are tons of different methods that are great! Depending on your personality, the season of life you’re in, and your schedule, you may find some methods more helpful than others. I encourage you to be open to trying new ways of doing things, as well as willing to change methods of meal planning if what you have been doing is no longer serving you. 

For example, I have previously used methods where I meal plan and grocery shop two weeks at a time, or even a month at a time, but in my current season of life, I do not have the mental capacity or time to devote to doing that. Currently, I only plan meals about a week at a time, and instead of using a particular system or journal like I did before, I simply use my notes app on my phone. 

As I said in the title, my current method is super simple: 

• I start by looking at my calendar to see how many meals we will be able to eat at home that week.

• Then, I plan any themes/special things that we have going on. For example, we try to stick to something taco-ish on Tuesdays and we always do pizza Fridays - sometimes out at a restaurant and sometimes at home. 

• Next, I look for inspiration for recipes. I’m not a person who enjoys eating the same things over and over, so I’m often looking for a new recipe, something we haven’t had in a while, or a new spin on something we love. I mostly use Pinterest and a couple of my favorite Instagram accounts (Real Food Dieticians, Shawna from A Little Less Toxic, my own recipe highlights) to choose new recipes. 

• Once I’ve assigned meals to certain days (very loosely), then I add any needed ingredients to my grocery list (which I keep in the same document in my notes app) and add any items that I can to my online grocery order.  

• Currently, I’ve been getting the majority of my groceries through Kroger’s online pick-up or through Thrive Market.  On occasion, if I have time and mental capacity, I’ll go to Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods for meat and specialty type items but that’s pretty rare these days. 

The key here is to do what works for you in the season that you’re in.

I have a couple of free resources that may be helpful for you: The Foods that Heal Guide is a list of my favorite nourishing and nutrient-dense foods to keep your fridge and pantry stocked for easy meal prep; and the Easy, Healthy Eats recipe e-book has a few of my go-to recipes with ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Intermittent Fasting: Helpful or Harmful?

Hi friends! Today we are talking about Intermittent Fasting (IF). It’s been a buzzphrase in the health and wellness industry for a while and there are wildly different perspectives and opinions on it. In this episode, I want to look at exactly what IF is and what are the ways it can be helpful, as well as how it can be harmful and who may not benefit from it.  I’m also going to throw my own opinion into the mix and share why I haven’t adopted this practice for myself. Let’s get into it! 

LISTEN HERE: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | STITCHER

What is Intermittent Fasting (IF)?

Intermittent fasting is a term used to describe a certain approach to eating that includes abstaining from food for short periods of time. Time-restricted eating Is the most common method of intermittent fasting. For this type of in a minute fasting you eat during a shortened window of time during the day, which extends the amount of time you’re not eating overnight. This can be anywhere from a 12 hour fast to a 16 - 18 hour fast, and often includes skipping a meal either breakfast or dinner. You can choose to eat three meals while using this method but they will be closer together than usual. 

How it can be helpful:

A quick search on Google or Pinterest will list out multiple health benefits from intermittent fasting. Things such as helping with weight loss, burning fat for energy instead of glucose, lowering insulin levels, improving insulin sensitivity, benefiting cognitive abilities, and supporting the circadian rhythm and leading to better sleep.

Sounds amazing, huh? Well, before you decide to skip breakfast forever, let’s look at some of the ways IF can be harmful. 

How it can be harmful:

While it’s true that some people to do well with intermittent fasting, it’s also true that certain people may not do well with it, particularly women. Fasting, while possibly having short term benefits, can also lead to long-term ramifications. IF leads to higher amounts of cortisol to be produced in the body, which again can be good short term (like as in exercise), but in the long-term can lead to chronic inflammation (just as in exercising too much). This spike in stress hormones can cause the body to feel unsafe. Our bodies thrive and function their best when they feel safe. Food is a signal of safety to our bodies - that’s the way we are wired. So when we go longer amounts of time, or even days, without eating that can signal to our bodies that something is wrong and that we aren’t safe enough to eat. Again, this can lead to chronic inflammation in the long term, which is the exact opposite of what we’re trying to achieve. 

For this reason, IF can have negative effects on women’s hormone health and fertility. When a woman’s body does not feel safe, having a well functioning reproductive system is not a high priority. Some studies have shown that by simply extending the fasting window to 14 to 16 hours, or quickly reducing the amount of food that someone takes in during the day, the body can start to shut down some of the communication between the brain and the reproductive system. 

Also, while some say intermittent fasting can help with insulin resistance and blood sugar issues, the flipside to that is that it can also lead to blood sugar dysregulation in the long term. 

An increase in stress hormones can lower  insulin levels, but also increase blood sugar (glucose) levels. Insulin is the hormone that allows our body to use up glucose or blood sugar, so having an increase in glucose while also having a decrease in insulin can lead to having higher blood sugar levels overall - which again is the opposite of what we are wanting. 

The other issue that can sometimes happen with intermittent fasting is that because you’re eating your meals closer together, in a shorter window of time, this can sometimes lead to not having enough space in between meals for proper digestion and good gut health. 

In a healthy gut, the MMC (migrating motor complex) - sometimes also called the housekeeper of the gut - sweeps through the small intestine, moving any food or waste along into the large intestine for further digestion about every 90 minutes (Think of it as our gut’s clean up crew). The problem Is that any eating or drinking of something that has calories (even a cup of coffee) can interrupt that process. Ideally we would be spacing our meals apart about every 4 hours, but that becomes very difficult to do in an 8-hr or shorter window. 

When this mechanisms can operate as it should, it can create an environment for Dysbiosis, SIBO, and overall poor gut health. 

So as you can see, there are both possible pros and cons to intermittent fasting.

Why I don’t practice IF, personally: 

Personally, I’ve chosen not to practice structured IF. As a woman who has an inflammatory condition- an inflammatory hormonal condition, at that, the risks outweigh the possible benefits for me. I also don’t recommend it to most of my clients, as most are women also dealing with underlying chronic inflammation, gut issues, and hormonal imbalances.

Also, an Interesting note - an ISSA article states that most of the studies done on Intermittent Fasting have been done on men. It states that *“Out of seventy-one studies found in Harvard’s database for intermittent fasting, only thirteen include women at all. Beyond that, absolutely none of the controlled studies focus on the female population in general. There are no controlled studies that allow us to draw intelligent conclusions about how intermittent fasting affects the female population.” 

The article goes on to say that women are less likely to lose weight or experience positive health benefits from IF and seem to experience the best health when they maintain an unchanging flow of nutrient intake throughout the day. 

This is what I recommend to my clients and implement in my own life as well. I think a 12:12 model can work really well for women - a 12 hour eating window and a 12 hour fasting window at night. That pretty much follows our natural circadian rhythm of eating while it’s daylight. I advise my clients to eat a balanced meal that includes carbs/fiber, protein, and fat within an hour of waking - and then ideally eating balanced meals every 4 hours. I also think it’s important to listen to your body and follow your hunger cues. Again, it’s important to make your body feel safe, and restricting food will likely have the opposite effect. 

At the end of the day, remember that food is nourishment and fuel for the body. It’s not something to restrict and/or reward yourself with.

*https://www.issaonline.com/blog/index.cfm/2018/this-hot-diet-trend-is-not-recommended-for-women

You May Also Like…

Prioritizing Your Health as a Young Professional

Hi friends! In today’s episode, my friend Kellie Shortridge shares how she prioritizes her health as a young healthcare professional. She shares practical, helpful tips that we can apply to our own health journeys. Listen to the full episode below.

TUNE IN: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | STITCHER

Some questions from this episode:

As your friend, I know that you’ve been in the process of prioritizing your health over the last few years. What do you feel are some of the more beneficial changes you’ve made and what differences have you seen in your overall wellness? 

Being a young working professional in a health care setting what are some of the obstacles to living a healthy lifestyle that you’ve encountered? 

I think a lot of people that live by themselves often feel overwhelmed by the idea of meal planning and prep - especially when most recipes seem to be geared toward multiple servings. How have you navigated that for yourself? 

What advice do you have for others who may have similar situations as yourself and are wanting to improve their health, but really not sure where to start? 

What Is the Deal with Gluten?

Welcome back, friends! Today I want to spend a few minutes talking about gluten and why everyone seems to be hating on it. For the past several years this topic has become more and more popular and just about every health and fitness guru out there has contributed their two-cents to the conversation. While there are no shortages of opinions on the matter, what I do seem to not find nearly as often is simple information that explains what gluten is, why it’s been labeled as “bad”, and how you can determine if you should cut out gluten or not. So that’s exactly what I want to provide for you in this episode. You know me - I like simple, clear info so let me just jump right in! 

TUNE IN: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | STITCHER

What is gluten? 

Gluten is the main storage protein found in wheat grains. It’s most often found in products containing wheat, barley, and rye, as well as occasionally in oat products. Think of it as the component to most bread, pasta, and baked goods that give a stretchy, soft texture. Gluten can also be added to several different foods like soups or sauces to increase the thickness or volume, processed foods to make them more filling, and even seemingly random things like soy sauce.  

Why has gluten been labeled as “bad”?

There are a few different factors that have caused some in the health and wellness field to have a concern regarding the regular consumption of gluten-containing foods. Gluten intolerances can vary from mild to severe. 

Those with Celiac Disease have an allergic, inflammatory response to gluten in which their bodies attack their intestines and create an autoimmune response. However, in the past several years, it’s become more well-known that those with Celiac Disease are not the only ones who can have negative reactions or side effects from consuming gluten. 

Gluten has been found to be highly inflammatory for a lot of people. Those with non-celiac gluten sensitivities or intolerances experience symptoms like bloating and digestive discomfort, brain fog, headaches, joint pain, anxiety and/or depression, and often eczema or other skin issues after consuming gluten, but these symptoms typically go away when gluten-containing foods are removed from their diet. 

It’s not exactly known yet why gluten can be so inflammatory. Research has shown that when gluten is consumed (by anyone) it causes a temporary increase in the production of Zonulin - a protein that regulates intestinal permeability. So it can be assumed that high consumption of gluten would lead to chronically increased intestinal permeability (sometimes known as leaky gut). This allows gluten, plus other organisms, to be released into the bloodstream, which triggers inflammation in the body.

One of the most common questions I have heard in regards to eating gluten is “if people have been eating gluten for centuries, why is it just now become an issue? Isn’t it just a trend?”. 

This is just my opinion, but in a lot of cases I feel like gluten - or really most food sensitivities - may just be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. As I’ve talked about before, our bodies were made to handle small amounts of inflammation - we have pathways designed into the functionality of our bodies for that kind of thing. However, due to the lifestyle of the majority of us, we have a much higher level of exposure to inflammation-inducing foods and experiences than ever before. Never has there been so many processed foods available and consumed on a regular basis. Never has there been this constant exposure to stressors both physical - like environmental toxins and emotional - like 60-hour workweeks, social media, and 24/7 news. 

I don’t think that gluten, by itself, is the issue. I think it’s that we have all these other issues going on, and in our Standard American Diet, we consume a lot of it. 

How can I determine if I should go gluten-free?

There are lab tests that can be done to look for certain antibodies but personally, I think that an elimination diet is often the easiest way to determine if you have a sensitivity. An elimination diet is just like how it sounds: you eliminate all gluten-containing foods from your diet for at least 30 days (60 is ideal). During this time you note your symptoms and how you feel. Then after the elimination time is up, you add gluten back into your diet and note how you feel. If your symptoms return or you feel worse, then you know that you have a sensitivity. 

If I cut out gluten, what can I eat?

Lots of things! There is a learning curve to going gluten-free, however, there are a lot of great alternatives out there. Our meals should be a combination of high-fiber carbohydrates, mainly vegetables, and healthy protein and fat. 

There are a lot of gluten-free alternatives available now like GF noodles, flours, crackers, bread, baking mixes, etc. You do need to make sure you are looking at the ingredients as sometimes those items can be full of unhealthy ingredients. Just because it’s gluten-free does not mean it’s healthy.

I’ve created a free guide with some of my fav gluten-free alternatives  - download it here. 

If I go gluten-free, does that mean I can never eat it again?

It depends. If you have celiac disease, then you really shouldn’t be consuming gluten at all, ever. However, sometimes those with just a mild sensitivity can occasionally eat gluten after they have allowed their gut to heal and worked to decrease inflammation in their bodies. In my experience, after following an elimination diet, those with gluten sensitivity prefer to avoid gluten long-term because they feel so much better. 

The Bottom Line

Gluten is not “bad”. Foods are amoral - they cannot be good or bad. We really need to change our way of thinking around this. Gluten is a hot topic because it is known to be inflammatory for the majority of people - likely due to other lifestyle factors in combination with the overconsumption of gluten. So, it’s not the enemy, but it can contribute to inflammation in the body and poor gut health, and in my opinion, that makes the idea of eliminating it something worth considering.

How Adrenal Health Can Affect Your Whole Body with Reed Davis, FDN

Hi friends! In this week’s episode,  I had the opportunity to interview Certified Nutritional Therapist (CNT) and founder of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition® (FDN), Reed Davis. As a Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP), Reed is an expert in functional lab testing and holistic lifestyle medicine. 

TUNE IN: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | STITCHER

In this episode, he teaches us about adrenal health and how the function of our adrenal glands affects the rest of our overall health. He also shares common lifestyle factors that may negatively affect adrenal health as well as the entire endocrine system. In addition, Reed shares how making changes to those exact same lifestyle factors can help reverse symptoms like chronic fatigue, low energy, brain fog, excess weight gain, and hormonal imbalance (sound familiar?).

You can find more information about Reed and the Functional Diagnostic Nutrition training program that he designed for health coaches by visiting functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com.

Creating a Healthy Foundation for our Kids

Hi friends! Today I want to talk to you about something that is on my mind a lot as a parent, and that is creating a foundation of health for our kids. Children learn from what they see us do and the culture of our homes, so I wanted to share with you some ways that we can help set them up for good health as well as a good relationship with food and their bodies in the future. 

TUNE IN: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | STITCHER

As I’ve already alluded to, this really starts with us! Kids really do default to doing what they see their parents or those in their homes do - so we first need to evaluate what we are modeling for them.

A few ideas:

• Let them see you make healthy choices. 

• Let them hear and see you taking care of your body 

• Let them hear you being appreciative of your body rather than critical

If you are feeling super uncomfortable right now because you know you haven’t been doing those things - that’s okay! It’s never too late to start making these changes and let your kids be a part of that. If they are old enough to understand, you can even give them a head’s up that you are going to be doing some things differently because you want to take good care of your body and be thankful for all that it does for you. Then let them watch you as you then follow through on what you’ve told them. It will teach them so much just by getting to see you start to make changes. *Just a reminder though - this needs to be through a very positive lens and from a place of appreciation for your body and not punishment of yourself. Nothing about how we engage in “healthy” habits or the language that we use should convey that our kids aren’t healthy or “good” if they don’t eat veggies, exercise, etc.  

In addition to setting an example and encouraging a healthy mindset, there are some healthy habits that you can start reinforcing in your kids very early on from infant/toddler age, again by modeling yourself and then encouraging in them as well. 

Some ideas:

• Drinking water throughout the day

  Try giving their milk, etc. with meals and then water in-between meal times. the more you offer them water, the more normal it will become. Consistency is key!

• Division of responsibility at family meals

  This theory for feeding states that it’s the parent’s responsibility to provide food and decide what food is served and it the child’s responsibility to decide how much of that food she will eat. For more about this theory, as well as one of my favorite methods for helping kids with healthy eating habits, check out Ashley’s “Love It, Like It, Learn It” method on her website veggiesandvirtues.com as well as on her Instagram account.

• Include your kids in your workouts and/or have active family time

  Whether it’s a family walk or dance party after dinner, letting your kids tag along for your jog, or a family workout in the living room, kids love to be active.

• Help them learn to deal with stress and anxiety

  We know how difficult this can be even as adults, so it’s important to give our children tools to help manage their anxiety and worries from a young age. One of my favorite resources for this is Sissy Goff, a child, and adolescent counselor. She offers tons of great tips and resources on her Instagram account as well as her website raisingboysandgirls.com

• Set healthy sleep practices

  Set them up for good sleep by doing simple things like ending screen time at least an hour before bed; avoiding any scary books or shows right before bed; getting them to bed on time; ensuring that their room is cool and dark and optimized for sleeping. It can also be helpful to have a conversation with them about why sleeping is so important to our health and makes a big impact on how we feel the next day.

• Don’t be overly restrictive with food

  Research shows that being overly restrictive on how much or what kinds of foods children can eat can often lead to an unhealthy relationship with food in adulthood - at times in the form of food addictions and eating disorders. One way to avoid having to restrict or say “no” all day is to only have foods in your home that you are okay with them eating regularly.

• Help your kids have a healthy mindset about food

  Help your kids understand how food fuels our bodies, how to listen to their bodies (hungry vs full, happy tummies vs sad tummies, etc.) Take them with you to the Farmer’s Market or try growing your own veggies in the backyard to help them understand where food comes from. Just let them in on the process!

• Get your kiddos involved with meal times

  Let them help you chop veggies or stir ingredients together. Commission them to set the table or fill the drinking glasses with water. It’s amazing how much more open kids are to new foods when they’ve been involved in preparing them.

Reminder: It is incredibly damaging to children if they are shamed for eating too much or too little of something or if their weight or bodies are scrutinized or criticized. Do NOT do that! They shouldn’t be the least bit concerned with what they weigh, size of their clothes, or the way their body moves or performs. If you are seeing that in them, please intervene and that may start by evaluating how you approach your own body. If you feel that your child needs some help from a professional counselor or therapist, please provide that for them while they are still young.

Remember they are listening to you and watching everything you do - so please be intentional with this. Be gracious with yourself and with them - it goes a long way.

I hope this episode has been helpful for you and given you a few ideas of ways to create healthy foundations for your kiddos and maybe even yourself! If you have any specific questions, leave them in the comments on this post or you can send me a DM on Instagram.

028 - Should You Be Counting Calories?

Hey friends! In today’s episode, we’re talking about calorie counting. I feel like calorie counting used to be the gold standard of nutrition when it came to weight loss. Even when I first started getting into the nutrition world, which has only been about ten years ago, that was still one of the main methods taught. There was just such an emphasis put on quantity - like it was a simple math problem: “You want to lose weight? Simple! Eat fewer calories than you burn!” Thankfully, since that time, so much research has been done and so many people have spoken up about the fact that there has to be more to it, or otherwise it would work for everyone every time. 

Now, I’m not going to go so far as to say you should never track a calorie or have any idea how many calories you burn on a regular day, but I don’t believe that counting or tracking calories needs to be your primary focus and I want to share why I believe that.

The main reason… it’s distracting!

Most of us have some level of dysfunction in our bodies due to our lifestyles and common exposure to toxins and focusing on calorie counting alone can distract us from noticing what is really going on in our bodies. 

Focusing on calorie counting alone can also distract us from focusing on the quality of the food we are eating and cause us to only focus on the quantity. 

The calorie counting method can also be harmful to those who have a history of eating disorders and food addiction. Even for those of us who haven’t shared in those struggles, it is easy to become obsessive and overly rigid about what foods you eat - even to the point where you can’t enjoy food any longer (this is a symptom of Orthorexia which is an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy).

One of my biggest concerns with the calorie counting method is that it distracts you from learning how to listen to your body. It is so easy to become solely focused on this number of calories we are “allowed” a day and logging every single thing that we do in order to stay in the good graces of this “health math equation”. Unfortunately, what often happens is that we lose out on noticing how eating a certain food makes us feel - how it affects our energy levels, our mood, our digestive system. We see that it meets our calorie count standard and deem it “healthy” or good for us with very little thought of how it actually affected us.

I want you to know that there are healthier ways to lose weight and there are tons of methods out there! Just make sure the one you are choosing actually TEACHES you how to care for your body, listen to your body, fuel your body well, and why it matters. 

Just a side note: I am not naive to the fact that sometimes choosing these methods is slower and more work - they can be - but here’s what I’ve found to be true: when someone is unhappy with their bodies or how their bodies are functioning and all they focus on is weight and numbers and physical appearance results - they often miss all there is to learn and heal along the journey. A lot of times they end up right back where they started, or maybe even less happy with themselves because they didn’t really fix the root issues - the physical ones or the emotional ones. Weight gain or difficulty losing weight is so often a symptom, not the root cause. So find out why things aren’t functioning well or why you are unhappy with your health and then work on that. Don’t miss what’s really going on looking for a quick fix or by trying to ignore the root issues. It will be work but the work is worth it! 

As always, if you have questions or are ready to take the next step in getting personalized support and guidance to move your health forward, feel free to send me an email or schedule a free 30-min consultation call. I’d love to help you! 

Talk to ya next week!

021 - The Power of the Pause

Hi friends! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

It’s December now, which means two things for most people 1.) They are in the thick of Christmas preparations and 2.) They are starting to reflect on this past year and think about the new year! I know I’ve found my thoughts wandering to planning for next year and goals I may want to set or things I may want to accomplish. I love goal planning and new beginnings - I just love all the potential that lies ahead! 

I’m going to spend the next couple weeks talking about goal setting and ways that we can set ourselves up for a healthy and successful 2020, and I want to start today by giving you a tool that can help you now, during the holiday season, as well as with your health-related goals in the new year. 

When I am starting a new coaching relationship with a client we will discuss their health goals and what they feel are the obstacles standing in their way and so often they say something like “I just can’t stop eating _______” or “I have such intense cravings for ______ and I can’t resist.” I think we can all relate to feeling this way and have experienced that at some point. 

So, let’s pretend that you and I are sitting across from each other, I would ask you if you are feeling this way now? Maybe you’re thinking about the goals you want to set for next year and know that you’d like to change something about your health - maybe lose weight, maybe regulate your blood pressure, blood sugar, or hormones - and as soon as that goal enters your mind, the next thought you have is “...but I can’t give up ____, so never mind.” Or maybe its “...but I’ve tried before and I make a little progress, but then I just go right back - it’s not worth it.” I want to challenge you to change the way you are thinking right now! You absolutely can overcome whatever food cravings, food addiction, or unhealthy habits you are struggling with and I’m going to give you a tip that has helped me so much! 

I like to call it the “Power of the Pause” but really it’s just the simple act of pausing and thinking before making a decision or continuing in an action. It sounds so simple, right? It is simple. But it’s not easy - at least not at first. 

Behavior change is part of any kind of personal growth - whether food-related or not - but especially when it comes to changing your eating habits and overcoming food cravings. You can’t change the behavior without first becoming aware of it, and in addition, I believe that in order to really change it, you also need to understand the root of where it’s coming from and be able to consider the effect it will have. 

Trace it back to the root

When it comes to emotional eating, addiction to foods or other substances, or even intense repetitive cravings there is usually something deeper going. When you do the work to identify where the desire is coming from, you can better understand what you are actually needing. Sometimes it’s physical - like maybe a type of nutrient or more sleep, and sometimes it’s emotional - like maybe you’re actually lonely, sad, or frustrated and need to talk to a friend or go for a walk. 

Consider the consequences

There is always cause and effect, right? Every decision we make has a consequence - whether good or bad. Taking a moment to pause gives us the opportunity to consider how an action or behavior will affect our health - physically and mentally. Eating that brownie at 10 pm or skipping your workout may make you feel good at the moment, but what about later? Are you going to be wired and unable to sleep well because your blood sugar was spiked right before bed? Are you going to be overwhelmed and anxious later because you didn’t move your body and get those endorphins flowing? This isn’t about punishment or guilting yourself into something, but rather in being intentional with your decisions and learning to listen to what your body needs. 

It’s worth noting that this is work. Good things always take work!  It’s much easier to just follow your impulses and cravings and enjoy the temporary high, but you and I both know that it won’t last. You will always need more and more, right? Also, using sugar or whatever the food or behavior is for you will only cover up what your body is trying to tell you that it actually needs - and you still won’t be fulfilled! It’s not worth it - the easy road rarely is! 

So practically, how do you do this? 

The next time that you have a craving for something that you know isn’t nourishing for your body - pause and think about why you are craving it - see if you can trace it back to the root. Are you trying to comfort yourself in some way - maybe after a bad day? Is there something that would actually nourish your soul rather than provide a temporary fix? Is your energy crashing and you feel like you need a pick-me-up? Should you maybe eat something with fat and protein, rather than sugar, a simple carb, or more caffeine, to stabilize your blood sugar so you can have more energy and be mentally alert? 

This can be applied to so many other areas of life as well, not just food. Whatever behavior or habit that comes to your mind that you’d like to change, take a minute to pause and think about what is at its root and what do you actually need instead? 

Whatever your goal may be for the new year, or even for tomorrow or next week, using this method of pausing can really help you learn to listen to your body and be intentional with your decisions. It can also help to open your eyes to other things that may be going on - be it a nutrient deficiency or buried feelings you need to deal with. This will also move you forward on your journey to better health! 

Remember, being healthy isn’t just about how you look or what you eat or how much you exercise. It’s your whole life and how it affects your overall health as a whole. So, friends, I encourage you to do the hard work - the heart work - it’s worth it!

Thank you for joining me today! If you put this tip into practice and give it a try, come back here and leave a review or leave me a comment on Instagram and let me know how it worked for you! I’d love to know!

017 - How To Regulate Your Blood Sugar Levels and Why It's Important!

Hi friends! I hope you all are having a great week so far! Today we are going to be talking about something that applies to every single human being out there - and that is blood sugar regulation. How to regulate our blood sugar levels and why that’s something we need to be paying attention to.

So for most of us, we hear the phrase “blood sugar” mostly in relation to diabetes. So it’s easy to think, well I don’t have diabetes, so I don’t need to worry about it. But in reality, blood sugar dysregulation is at the root of many common health concerns that we face on a day-to-day basis, as well as a lot of chronic diseases. 

Let’s talk about the science for a minute: 

When you hear someone say “blood-sugar” they are referring to the levels of glucose in the bloodstream. When we eat, the enzymes that help break down our food also release glucose into our intestines, where it is then absorbed into our bloodstream. Glucose is the primary source of energy for our bodies but our cells can’t absorb it on their own, they need a buddy to help them with that - and that is Insulin.

Insulin is a hormone made by the beta cells in the pancreas. These cells are continually monitoring our blood glucose levels and when an increase is detected, Insulin will then be released into the bloodstream. Insulin is like a key that unlocks our muscle, fat, and liver cells so that the glucose can get inside of them and be used or stored appropriately, which also lowers the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. 

Problems maintaining normal blood sugar levels can arise when: 

• Beta cells that release insulin no longer work as they should and too little or zero insulin is produced, leaving blood sugar elevated (Type 1 diabetes).

• Cells become desensitized to insulin, either due to over-exposure or inflammation, and can no longer absorb glucose properly (Insulin Resistance). 

• When blood sugar levels aren’t managed well, hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can then occur as those levels rise and fall. These come with many side effects including fatigue and low energy, intense sugar cravings, changes in blood pressure, weight changes, nerve-ending issues, anxiety, and (for women) cycle irregularity.

• Cells stop receiving enough energy since insulin is no longer doing its job of bringing them enough glucose, which also means that blood glucose levels remain elevated. This can cause damage to the kidneys, heart, arteries, and nerves — which in turn affects the whole body negatively. (Prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes)

So, as you can see, when talking about “blood sugar”, Insulin is always going to be the star player. When there is a problem with insulin, blood glucose will always become dysregulated.

I could go on and on about the science part of things, but let’s talk about some practical ways that you can keep your blood sugar regulated.

Eat balanced meals 

You want your meals to consist of good amounts of clean protein (about the size of your palm), always 1-2 tbsp fat (size of your thumb), and high-fiber veggies at every meal (about two hand fulls). 

Don’t skip meals

Eating at regular intervals prevents your blood sugar levels from dipping too low, which makes your liver have to release stored glucose to keep you going. This can alter your insulin production and mess with the stability of your blood sugar overall. You want to aim for three balanced meals at regular intervals (usually 4-6 hours apart).

Eat a snack if needed

Make sure it is also balanced and includes protein and fat. So don’t just grab a bag of chips or even just an apple. Make sure you are pairing any carbohydrates with protein and fat. 

Keep the sugar and alcohol to a minimum

Both obviously raise blood sugar levels and also inflammation in the body. When choosing a sweetener for baking, etc. go for a more naturally occurring, low glycemic index option like raw honey, stevia, dates, or maple syrup. 

Exercise regularly

Both cardio and strength training exercises help your muscles to be able to take up more glucose, which decreases the amount in the bloodstream. Also, strength-training specifically has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity in our cells. Exercise also helps to lower overall inflammation which helps to protect our cells and keep them functioning optimally. 

Manage stress

As we’ve talked about before, chronic stress has a negative effect on just about every part of our health, and our blood sugar level is no exception. High levels of cortisol in the body (which we know we produce when under stress) cause the liver to release some of it’s stored glucose back into the bloodstream. It also increases overall inflammation in the body, which can damage your cells and make them resistant to insulin. Over time this is like a double assault on your body and can lead to serious health complications. 

Get quality sleep

Again, this is something we talk about often because it is so important. Studies show that having disturbed circadian rhythms and not getting enough sleep both can cause stress and hunger hormones to be released in the body. This not only raises inflammation in the body but will also make it much harder to resist foods that will only raise your blood sugar levels further. We’ve got to make this a priority and make sure we are getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep each night. 

Take quality supplements*

• A good whole-food multivitamin will help make sure you aren’t deficient in any key nutrients (also, additional Vit D if needed)

• Omega-3 fatty acids can help increase insulin sensitivity

• Magnesium can help activate your cell’s insulin receptors

• Alpha-lipoic acid can increase your body’s use of glucose

• Cinnamon can decreases the rise in glucose after a meal

*Always consult your physician before adding any supplements or medications.

The good news is that for most of us, we can maintain a healthy blood sugar level by practicing a healthy lifestyle. And if this is something that you are currently struggling with - maybe you already have insulin resistance or prediabetes, you can manage and possibly reverse the condition with lifestyle change as well. I know that it’s possible because I did it! (I’ll share more about that another day!)

As always, if you have questions or feel that you need support in this area, reach out to me! I’d love to help you!

012 - 3 Tips for Making a Healthy Choice at Any Restaurant

Hi friends! In today’s episode, we are keeping with the healthy eating theme we’ve had going for the last few episodes and talking about how to make healthy choices when you’re dining out! 

Obviously, the healthiest choice is usually to cook your meals at home where you have more control over what ingredients are included, but it’s not possible to ALWAYS eat at home. Sometimes your schedule demands that you dine out and sometimes you just want to, which is great! I don’t know about you but I absolutely love the thought of someone else preparing my food, bringing it to me, and then cleaning up the mess, (Yes, please!) but sometimes when you’re trying to make changes to your health and be intentional about the food you’re eating, going to a restaurant can be a bit of a challenge. It’s difficult to know what ingredients are in each entree and it can be easy to feel like there aren’t healthy options, but usually, that isn’t the case!  

Today, I want to give you three easy tips for choosing a healthy option so you can enjoy your restaurant experience and not spend an hour staring at the menu! 

Now, before I get into the tips, let me just say this - you won’t always do these things. I won’t always do these things! Not every single meal has to be the healthiest choice. Sometimes, you want the splurge! Sometimes it’s cheeseburger night - go. for. it! Don’t take these tips as me saying that if you’re going to be healthy, you have to eat perfectly 100% of the time! It’s also important to note that obsessing and stressing over our food decisions is just as unhealthy as eating processed, junk foods - so we don’t want to find ourselves doing that!

When we fuel our bodies well the majority of the time and take the time to learn how what we eat affects us, we then have the freedom to go a little wild now and then! No, it wouldn’t be good to do that all the time or even every day, but every once and a while, it is totally fine! Our bodies have the ability to turn less than perfect food into energy and nutrients that we need when we are taking care of them and nourishing them the majority of the time.  

Okay, now that we cleared that up and you guys don’t think I’m some kind of kill-joy, :) let’s get into these tips! 

• Look at the menu before you go!

This can be really helpful if you know where you are going to be eating beforehand. It can feel overwhelming to get to a restaurant, especially with a group of friends or even on a date, and feel like you can’t talk to anyone for the first 15 minutes because you are intensely reading the menu. Most restaurants have their menus posted online, so it's so much easier to take time before you go to read over the menu and choose a couple of options that will be good for you and sound delicious! 

• Think about balance!

Eating a balance of carbs, protein, and fat with each meal is so important for properly fueling the body as well as maintaining stable blood sugar levels. This will keep you from having an energy crash as soon as you finish eating and will keep you full longer. When looking at the menu, choose entrees that include all three macronutrients. If the entree you want doesn’t have all three, you can always customize or add something to your order. Also, remember that things like salad dressings or other toppings (usually fats) will count towards having a balanced meal. 

Let me give you a couple of quick examples to make this a little more practical:

Instead of getting the normal cheeseburger and fries, to make it a healthier, more balanced choice, you could do a burger bowl or salad. Skip the bun and ask for your burger to be on a bed of greens, and then add all the toppings you want like onions, mushrooms, tomato, pickles, avocado, and sauces. Then have your fries on the side. By doing this you have a good mixture of fiber-rich veggies and other more starchy carbs, protein and some fat from the burger patty, and fat from the avocado and maybe from the sauces.

Another common entree option you can find almost anywhere is grilled chicken. You could do grilled chicken with rice and either a salad or other green veggie, but you will need to add in some fat. So again, avocado is a great choice or ask for some real butter or olive oil to drizzle on your veggies.  

• Get some greens in there, if nothing else!

We’ve talked about this before but the majority of us come nowhere near eating the amount of fiber we need in a day. An easy way to fix this is to add some leafy greens or other high-fiber veggies to every meal. Even if the entree you choose isn’t the healthiest, you can not only get a nutrient boost from adding on some spinach or broccoli, but also the fiber will help your body digest and process your meal more easily. 

• Bonus tip - get water! 

Unless you are specifically going to a restaurant for a specific drink that they serve, just go with the water! It’s free and will again help your body process and digest your meal more easily than if you were to drink something sugary. Instead of giving your gut and liver something else to “work on”, so to speak, it actually supports their natural processes.  

So there you have just a few easy tips to hopefully simplify making healthier choices when you’re dining out. It doesn’t have to be hard, and as long as you aren’t eating at restaurants most days of the week, you don’t have to stress over your choices. If you are following a more restrictive or elimination-style diet for a time, restaurant food probably isn’t going to be your friend or the easiest option, but by following these tips - especially the first one about looking up the menu beforehand, it is still possible to do. 

If you find yourself dining out more than you feel like you should or you want to, go back and listen to the past few episodes about meal planning and prepping ahead. This is going to be key to eating more at home, especially when your schedule is really busy - and whose isn’t? Right?! 

Alright friends, that does it for today’s episode! As a reminder, you can find my healthy eating resources, like my Meal Planning Guide, Meal Prep info, or my Healthy Kitchen Swaps Makeover Guide by clicking here. 

011 - Meal Prepping Could Be the Key to Your Success

Friends! In today’s episode, we are talking about the benefits and methods of meal prepping!

Once again this is one of those topics where the “right way” to do something is the way that works best for you and that you will actually do! Last week we talked about how to plan our meals (if you haven’t already listened to that episode, I encourage you to check out Episode 10  first), but as much as the planning part can overwhelm people, the prepping part for sure stops a lot of people in their tracks. 

There are so many ways to do this and it can be challenging to figure out which is best for your situation. I hear a lot of questions like “how do I know how much food to make ahead?”, “Which foods will still taste good prepped in advance and which are better to prepare right before you eat them?”, “How much time does it take?” and so many more - and, don’t hate me, but a lot of the answers to these questions are “it depends…”. The answers change based on how many people are in your household, how you personally tolerate left-overs, and how much time you have to do the prep.

Today I want to just do an overview of how beneficial meal prepping can be as well as give you a few tips to help make it simple and helpful for you! 

Benefits of Meal Prepping 

So, why would someone benefit from prepping some or all of their meals in advance?

Well, one of my favorite things about it is how much time it can save throughout the week. This is especially helpful for people who work long hours or crazy shifts and know that they won’t have the energy to cook when they get home from work. It’s also great if you and your spouse work differing shifts and maybe can’t eat your meals together every night. It’s been really helpful for me because as I mentioned in the last episode, the dinner-time hours also seem to be the neediest hours for my toddler, and it keeps me from having to spend as much time in the kitchen when she is needing more of my attention. 

Another great benefit, and the one that I think is key for most people, is that prepping your meals ahead helps you stick to your healthy eating goals. This is so important, especially when you are trying to make changes to your health. Let’s be real, the temptation to grab take-out or swing through the drive-thru on your way home is high - especially after a long or stressful day; however, that temptation will be so much lower if you know that there is a delicious home-cooked meal that you love waiting for you at home and one that you’ve already put work and effort into. You’re not going to want to waste that effort! 

This is one of the keys to success for my clients. Not only does it help them to fuel their bodies well, but it helps to also change their habits and gives them the confidence they need to cook more at home. So now they are both making healthier decisions and saving money by not eating out as much! Win-win!

Methods for Meal Prepping 

As I mentioned before there are different methods for prepping your meals ahead. I personally have used two different methods that I go back and forth with depending on how much prep time I have. 

The first method is what I call the “big prep”. I use this method when I have a little more time, maybe on Saturdays or during one of my daughter’s nap-times throughout the week. I got the idea from the book “Cook Once Eat All Week” by Cassy Joy Garcia and it usually takes around 1.5 hours, maybe 2 if I have more interruptions. But essentially, I will prep most all ingredients for 3-4 dinners, plus a few breakfast or lunch items if I have time. In the book, Cassy teaches you exactly how to do “prep day” - which items to prep first, in what order things should go into the oven, etc. in order to make the most of your time and your space. I highly suggest this book if you are new to the process of meal prepping or if you would like to learn a new method. She includes recipes for 26 weeks worth of healthy meals, and even if you don’t use her recipes, and use your meal plan instead, you can still apply her principles of meal prepping to save yourself time. 

The second method is my “mini-prep”, which is what I default to a lot, especially if I haven’t had a chance to spend a couple of hours in the kitchen. Using this method, I just try to prep 1-2 extra things when I am cooking dinner on Sunday or Monday evening. Simple things like browning ground beef or pre-chopping veggies for other meals can save you so much time later in the week. I’m already in the kitchen and in cooking mode, so while I wait for the oven to preheat or for water to boil or something, I just prep an ingredient for another meal. Also, a lot of times you put what you’re having for dinner in the oven to cook for 20-30 min and instead of going and doing something else with that time, on those nights, I just prep for other meals. Another reason I like this method is I don’t know about you, but I start most weeks with pretty high motivations and good intentions, but by  Wednesday or Thursday night, I’m tired and that motivation has usually decreased significantly. 

Even just prepping your lunches for the week while you are cooking dinner one night will keep you from being tempted to eat out for lunch every day! 

Simple Meal Prepping Tips 

Here are a few tips that can help you with your meal prep, no matter which method you choose:

• In order to have a game-plan for what to prep, you will need to have your meals planned out. It’s hard to prep meals ahead when you don’t even know what those meals are. You can grab my free meal planning guide here, or over on Instagram if you need some help with planning your meals. 

• I highly recommend that you do your grocery shopping and you’re meal prepping on different days. Now, I will say that this is dependent on your personality and the amount of time you have, so you can experiment with it and see how it goes. Personally, it stresses me out too much to try to do both on the same day. I do like to wash my produce and maybe do a little pre-chopping or something when I’m putting groceries away, but actually cooking a bunch of meals right after I come home from the store and having to put all the groceries away is just more time than I want to spend in the kitchen at one time

• Along those same lines, I recommend that start your prep with a clean kitchen. It doesn’t have to be spotless, but at least have mostly cleared off counters and an empty sink. Believe me, it is not an enjoyable experience to try to chop, mix, and cook when you’re working with about 6 inches of clean counter space or if a pile of dirty dishes is staring at you from the sink (ask me how I know :)). You want the process of meal prepping to be as enjoyable and stress-free as possible, so do yourself a favor and clean your kitchen up a bit before you start your meal prep and turn on some fun music (or maybe your favorite podcast {wink, wink}) while you’re at it. 

• As far as storing the food you prep, you can store it in a few different ways. One way is to store in the fridge in the pot that you used to cook it in. This is really helpful for when you’ve made soup or something large that you will need to reheat before you have it as a meal. It couldn’t be more simple than that, just take it out of the fridge an hour or so before you’re going to need to heat it, and then just put it on the stove or in the oven to reheat! Then for smaller dishes or if I’m going to divide a certain ingredient up to use in multiple meals, I will use my glass food storage. When it comes to storing food or anything that is going to be going into your body, it’s better to use glass or stainless steel than plastic. Even BPA free plastic still has many other kinds of estrogen-like chemicals in them that can easily leach into the food, especially when the plastic is heated. So, if you don’t have glass containers, use what you’ve got but please don’t heat your food in the microwave in plastic containers - move over to a ceramic or glass bowl or plate before you eat it.  These chemicals do a number of things in our bodies, including increasing the overall toxic load on our livers, but increased usage of them can lead to hormone imbalance, in both men and women.

• The last tip is also going to be one of preference, but personally, I wouldn’t prep more than 3-4 days of food at a time unless it’s something that you’ve prepped before and you know will stay good for the entire week. Chopped raw veggies or hard-boiled eggs are great examples of things that should last the whole week, but some cooked veggies will become mushy and some meats will become dried out when left in the fridge over a few days. This may take a little trial and error to figure out, but as a general rule, I stick to about 4 days for cooked meals. 

Friends, I hope you found a few tips helpful and were able to see that meal prepping can be done in many different ways and how it can be key to helping you stick to your healthy eating goals! 

As always, if you have any questions about the episode, feel free to reach out! Have a wonderful rest of your week and I’ll see you back here next week!

010 - How I Meal Plan for My Family

Hi friends! Today we are going to be talking all about meal planning and specifically how I meal plan. There is no one way or “right” way to do meal planning or grocery shopping, but this is a topic that I am asked about a lot and I think it can seem overwhelming if you’ve never done it before. So, I’m going to share with you my process and what I have found best to work for me at this stage in our lives. Just remember that if this isn’t the best method for your life, that’s okay! We can still all learn from each other’s tips and methods.

So let’s just get real for a minute before we jump into the details...

Sometimes the idea of having to sit down and meal plan feels like a pain - there are days I just straight up don’t want to do it -  but do you know what is more of a pain than taking the time to meal plan? The stress of trying to decide what is for dinner every evening right around 4-5 pm, which also happens to be when my toddler seems to have the most meltdowns; or going way over budget at the grocery store, and then getting to come home and tell my husband that I spent the entire month’s grocery budget in this one trip because I didn’t go in with a plan. The truth is that this is something that I have learned from experience! I have found my life to be so much easier if I just make the decision and commit myself to make a meal plan for our family.  

Now like I said, there is no ONE way to meal plan, but I think there are a couple of universal tips that I think can be helpful for anyone no matter what method you use:

• Get organized! 

Set a specific time every week or two to devote to planning your meals. Make it a fun thing if you need to - a coffee date by yourself! Yes, please!

• Have a flexible plan!

  One of the most frustrating parts of meal planning can be when you set this really beautifully laid out plan and then something happens and throws the whole thing out the door! Most likely your week will not go exactly as you planned it but you are still going to benefit from working off of a plan rather than completely winging it.

My Meal Planning Process

When I’m making our meal plan, the first thing I do is sit down with a pen, paper, and my calendar (yes, I like to physically write it out - but that’s just me). I plan our meals two weeks at a time - so I list out the dates for the next two weeks and make a note of any nights that we won’t be home or we know that we will be eating out. I also make a note if there is a night that maybe only one of us will be home for dinner or a date night for us, which would mean that I will only need to make dinner for our daughter. This lets me know exactly how many dinners I will need to plan. 

Next, I usually go to my Pinterest boards or scan through a few of my favorite cookbooks as well as any recipes I’ve saved on my phone that I wanted to try out (I love to just take a screenshot of recipes or meal ideas I come across online). While there are usually a few staple meals that we have every two weeks, I like to change things up and not eat the same things all the time. 

I have a few criteria that I look for when I’m looking for new meal ideas for our family:

• Is it something that will be nourishing for us?

• Are the main ingredients something that both my husband and I like? 

• Is it too complicated or does it have too many ingredients?

• Can I get it on the table in less than 30 minutes? If not, can parts of the meal be prepped ahead?

So I encourage you to think through what your criteria may be - especially if you’re not familiar with trying new recipes or cooking at home a lot. You don’t want to choose a bunch of recipes that will overwhelm or frustrate you! As you cook more, you will get more adventurous!

Once I’ve chosen my meals for those two weeks, I will go through and note any ingredients I will need to buy and get started on my grocery list. 

My Grocery List 

I like to organize my grocery list by the way the store is laid out. It just helps my brain not to feel too overwhelmed and helps me to not be as likely to forget things. I add all the ingredients I need for my chosen meals, plus any staples items we may need for breakfasts or snacks. 

There are several different methods of buying groceries. Some people prefer to go into the store and shop themselves and some choose to order their groceries online and either pick them up or have them delivered. 

Last week I asked in my Insta Stories for some of your tips for buying healthy meals and staying in budget, and you guys had great ideas! A few of the ideas were things like shopping at multiple grocery stores - which is something I also personally do; stocking up on whatever organic meat is on sale that week and cutting and freezing it for future meals - which is such a smart idea; sticking to your meal plan and only going to the store one per week or two (if you shop bi-weekly) - this is a great tip because I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but every time you need to stop at the store for one little thing, you always walk about with 5-6 little things because they were on sale or because it was a new product; someone else mentioned going in with some other people on a CSA or maybe a cow-share, which can be a little expensive on the front-end but really save you some money over time, plus it gives you a chance to get to know the farm where you are getting your food from, which is pretty cool!

So you just need to decide which method is best for you, whether you want the convenience of buying everything from one store or if you are trying to be more budget-conscious, shopping in multiple stores!  You are the expert on your family! 

Personally, having a plan and walking into the store with a list not only helps me to feel more organized but it also helps me stay on budget (well.. mostly 😏), minimize food waste and just gives me the assurance of knowing that I’m feeding my family healthy, nourishing meals. That’s an invaluable benefit to me! 

I have designed a freebie Meal Planning Guide for you that covers everything I’ve talked about today but also includes a downloadable blank template for you to use to make your own meal plan and grocery list! The guide also includes a link to my exact meal plan and grocery list from two weeks ago! I know sometimes it’s just fun to see what meals other people make and what they buy at the store, so I’ve included that as a little bonus!

I hope this guide will give you a little inspiration and encourage you to make the process of meal planning work for your family! 

Don’t forget that you can always follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for more helpful tips for healthy meals and meal planning! If you feel like you need more personalized support I also offer a specific Meal Planning and Prepping Coaching Call! It’s a 75-min virtual session where we work on your specific obstacles with meal planning and prepping your meals ahead of time. 

I hope you enjoy the rest of your week and I’ll see you next time!

009 - How To Tame Your Sugar Dragon!

Hey hey, friends! After spending the last few weeks talking about topics that applied mostly to women, I thought I would switch it up today and talk about something that applies to pretty much everyone everywhere - how to tame your sugar dragon! 

You know the one I’m talking about… the one that fills your mind with thoughts of chocolate chip cookies or ice cream as soon as you sit down after a long day or the one that makes it impossible to walk by the donuts sitting on the break room table. We all have one and the majority of us, at least at some point, has felt like the dragon has gotten out of control!

One of the questions I’ve gotten a lot is “how do I stop eating so many sweets?” This is an especially common struggle because sweets are everywhere! You’ll find them at work, at church, and at every single get-together! So, what do you do if you are trying to reduce your sugar intake? 

You have to tame the dragon… you have to regain control! As we talked about in Episode 4 - Deconstructing Cravings, food (including sugary foods) isn’t just something that keeps us from being hungry, it’s information - it causes a biological reaction. Consuming sugary foods results in a dopamine release in our brains and so now every time we see the cupcakes or donuts, our brain sees an opportunity for more dopamine.  The problem is that dopamine doesn’t actually make us happy or satisfied, it just motivates us toward the reward of feeling happy. So basically every time you or I consume sugar, we’re just training our brains to continue to pursue consuming more sugar. 

Since most of us aren’t interested in absolutely never consuming sugar again (um..no thanks!), how can we stay in control of these cravings rather than letting them control and motivate us? 

Try an Elimination Diet

The first tip I have for taming your sugar dragon is the most extreme, but it is also the most effective - and that is to starve it. Which means to not feed it any sugar at all for a period of time. Most people refer to this as an elimination diet where you basically do just that - you eliminate certain foods, usually inflammatory or addictive foods, for a certain period of time, usually 2-4 weeks. As I mentioned, this option will definitely give the best results, but it is also the most difficult and you will most likely experience withdrawal symptoms like headaches, irritability, lack of energy, etc. for a few days.  There are several programs out there that can lead you through an elimination diet, something like the Whole30 or the 21-day sugar detox.

I have done this method myself and while the first 3-5 days were really tough, I do feel like it made a drastic difference in the number of cravings I was having as well as my ability to stay in control. I also felt so good after finishing the elimination diet! So, I highly recommend this method if you’re serious about it and up for the challenge.

Make Intentional Decisions 

The second tip I have for taming your sugar dragon is something that you need to do whether you do the elimination diet or not, and that is to start being deliberate with your food choices. You will never feel in control of your health or of any type of cravings if you allow what you eat to be determined by your feelings. Now, I know that this is hard and not something that I have mastered 100% of the time either, but it is something that I’ve become very aware of. Take the time to slow down and be aware of how you’re feeling and give your brain a second to think through the decision before you just automatically say “yes” and indulge. It’s not that indulging is a bad thing or that you always need to say no to sweets,  but not thinking through your decisions and eating impulsively will always leave you feeling out of control and regretful. You will 100% feel better about eating dessert if it was a conscious choice and something you really want than you will if you only eat because it is there or because everyone else is. 

We also need to talk about the mentality of using food as a reward or a treat - and that goes for any food. It’s this mentality that we’ve slipped into as a society and it starts when we are little kids - that I don’t even know if we are aware of. We give them sweets as rewards for good behavior or for eating all their dinner, and while the intention is obviously harmless, the result is not. Food is fuel and we’ve got to change the way that we look at it or else every time we have a bad day we’re going to tell ourselves that we deserve a “treat” on the way home to help us cope and friends, food is not a healthy coping mechanism! This is a difficult mindset to shift (for me as well) but it starts with being aware and becoming more intentional in our decisions! 

Create Some Distance

The third tip to help tame your sugar dragon is to create some distance! There are a number of ways that you can do this, but my favorite way is to just not keep tempting sugary foods in the house! It becomes so much more difficult to resist the candy if it's in your pantry or your desk drawer at work. If you are going to eat it, you will have to make the conscious decision to leave where you are to go get it and most often, that extra effort alone will be enough of a deterrent. And if not, it at least provided you with time to really consider your decision. 

You can also implement a rule of time, maybe 15 minutes, maybe an hour - whatever works best for you. When you get a craving for something sweet, you wait that amount of time, and if you still want it after that amount of time passes (and maybe a glass of water) then you go eat it. This sounds so simple but it really is effective! It again helps to reduce the number of impulsive decisions and automatic eating while allowing you to become more intentional with your food decisions

Choose a Healthier Alternative

The last tip I have to help tame your sugar dragon for today is to go with a healthier version of what you’re craving. This one isn’t nearly as effective at actually taming the cravings, but it at least isn’t as bad for your body as the processed sugary option would be. Choosing an option like a small handful of clean-ingredient chocolate chips and a spoon full of almond butter or an energy ball with chocolate chips or honey in it will help satisfy your craving without spiking your blood sugar or stirring up inflammation in your gut. 

I also want to remind you that we crave what we eat! So if you’re eating processed, sugary foods often, that is what you will crave! As you start to make some of these changes, either through the elimination diet or by choosing healthier alternatives, your craving will also start to change. I don’t crave the same kinds of things that I used to - I still have cravings but much less frequently and typically for healthier options because that is what I eat most often. I just don’t want you to think that this is a never-ending uphill battle! It does get easier, but you will have to do some work on the front end to get there!

Ultimately, when you do make the conscious decision to celebrate with the dessert or have the donut on Sunday morning, enjoy it. Do so without guilt or regret because you know that your body can handle this indulgence because you choose to take care of it and fuel it well with nutritious and nourishing foods most of the time! 

Guys, it’s all about balance and making the best decisions you can - it’s not about perfection! No one is perfect and no one expects you to be! You just want to do your best to take care of your body well so that it can continue to serve you well and allow you to live the life you want to live!

I hope that you will apply a few of these tips and as always if you have questions, feel free to reach out! Enjoy the rest of your day and I’ll see you back here next week!

004 - What Are Your Food Cravings Trying To Tell You?

Hey friends! Today we are talking about cravings!

Do you feel like your brain is sabotaging your efforts to be healthy? Do you often find yourself craving something that you know isn’t good for you... maybe even something that you know will make you feel sick or tired, but you just can’t stop thinking about it? Have you ever felt like you were doing so well - you were eating all good, whole foods and your workouts had been on point, and then all of the sudden you pass a billboard for pizza or donuts and something in your brain changes?! It’s like a switch was flipped and now you NEED that food! (I think that happened to me just last week!)  

Are cravings just a result of a lack of willpower or is there something deeper going on?

Today I want to talk about two main reasons we get cravings and how we can use them to work for our health instead of against it.

The first reason that we crave unhealthy foods is that we have a literal, physical addiction to them. 

Scientists have long been doing research on cravings and why they seem to hold so much power over our thoughts and behaviors. One such study, from the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, sheds some light on food cravings and why some people seem to struggle with them more than others. In the study, 39 overweight people and 42 people of “normal weight” were given MRI scans and shown photographs of buffet-style food. People who were overweight had far greater stimulation in the “reward center” of the brain than people of normal weight. In essence, the study found that food cravings are “hard-wired” into our brains in a way that is similar to alcohol or substance addictions. This seems to be especially true for those who are overweight. 

Things like sugar and processed foods cause an opiate release in our brains. Opiates increase dopamine in the brain, which is why they are known as “feel good” chemicals and are highly addictive. So, it’s not just that we like sugary foods or junk foods, we’re literally craving those chemical highs that we get from those foods. 

Also, keep in mind that these companies who sell and market these addictive foods know exactly what they are doing. They all have their own scientists and researchers who have read all these same studies, know the perfect wording to use, and the exact way to display their product that makes it almost impossible for us to ignore. 

So, remember when you are having these cravings, it isn’t that you are weak and have no will power... it’s just that the last time you ate that particular food, your brain got a rush of dopamine and now associates pleasure with that food. Just like any other time you set out to change habits and behaviors, the brain has to be retrained! 

Another reason we EXPERIENCE cravings is that our body uses them as a way to communicate with us about what it needs.

 Remember, that our bodies were created intelligently with the ability to communicate and send signals from our brains to other parts of our body in order to maintain harmony and optimal function. I mean, think about it - you can eat junk food, and your body will still turn it into energy to keep you alive;  you can deprive it of sleep, but it will still get you up and running the next morning; you can expose it to toxins and chemicals, and it will still process it through your system, so that you don’t poison yourself. The body is amazing! So, it only makes sense that when your body is in need of something that it figures out a way to communicate that to you. Here are a few signals your body might be trying to send you through food cravings:

• It needs more water! Dehydration can often disguise itself a mild hunger

• There’s an emotional imbalance or feelings that need to be dealt with

Are you unhappy with a situation in your life and looking to numb your feelings instead of dealing with them? Is there a nostalgic connection or favorite memory from your childhood associated with that food?

• There could be a possible nutrient deficiency

It is actually very common to have a vitamin or mineral deficiency, especially if you tend to eat the same kinds of foods all of the time and if those foods aren’t the healthiest. Some of the most common nutrient deficiencies include calcium, which could cause you to crave carbonated drinks or dairy; magnesium, which can cause intense cravings for sugar and leave you feeling anxious and exhausted; omega-3s which often causes cravings for sweet and salty or greasy type foods and give you a low mood and major brain fog; another is B-12, which can cause cravings for meat and will usually cause you to have low energy, and sometimes anemia.

Some easy ways to combat a nutrient deficiency is to eat mostly whole foods that include dark or rich colored vegetables (check the EWG to see which should be organic but the basic rule is, if you eat the skin or outside of the produce, organic is the safest bet), other complex carbs (like root vegetables, brown rice and quinoa), organic meats (including beef, chicken and seafood - as long as your body tolerates them well), and healthy fats (like healthy oils - coconut, avocado, and olive, ghee or grass-fed butter; nuts and seeds; and avocados and coconut milk). 

Taking a whole-food-based multivitamin can also go a long way to help fill in the gaps in our diets! 

Another tip is to make sure that you have good gut health so that your body can actually absorb the nutrients from the food you are eating. I have a whole episode about that coming up soon! 

So, as you can see there is both a physiological component and an emotional component to why we get cravings. So, the next time you find yourself dealing with a craving, treat it as a signal from your body and try these tips before rushing in to indulge:

• Drink a glass of water and wait ten minutes.

• Consider if something is out of balance in your life? Is this craving an emotional response, and if so, is there a healthier way to satisfy it?

• Eat a healthier version of what you crave. For example, if you’re craving something sweet, try eating more fruit or a “treat” that is made of cleaner, healthier ingredients. 

• If you think you have a nutrient deficiency, get your levels checked and start to implement a few of the things I mentioned above.

• Ultimately, when you do eat the food you are craving, really enjoy it, taste it, savor it. Make a note to yourself if it felt worth it or not so that you can be more aware and free to decide if you really want it next time.

I hope that these tips have helped encourage you to know that this is something that everyone struggles with for different reasons and has given you a few ideas for ways that you can listen to your body instead of feeling like it’s trying to sabotage you! 

If you have any questions about this topic or feel like you need some extra support, please feel free to send me an email or schedule a free consultation. I’d love to see if we can work together to help you overcome whatever is holding you back from being the healthiest version of yourself!